Search the Scriptures Daily Program #3101d:
Note: The video, 25 Messianic Signs advertised at the end of this link is no longer offered through TBC.
Gary :
Please stay tuned and at the end of the program we’ll let you know where to send your questions for Dave and Tom to address in a future “Contending for the Faith.” You are listening to Search the Scriptures Daily, a radio ministry of The Berean Call. Now our final segment:
UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES
We continue our exploration of the doctrine of salvation. Here again are Dave and Tom:
Tom:
We’re going through the gospel of John and our emphasis continually, hopefully throughout every segment really comes around to the gospel. The gospel and the salvation that we have in Christ. And as we do mention continually, if you haven’t read the Bible, this is the place to begin in the gospel of John. Dave, we are picking up where we left off last week and we are in John 5—actually we are right in the middle, we didn’t get all the way through verse 34: “But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.” Of course this is Jesus speaking and he was referring to John the Baptist. (Verse 36) “But I have greater witness than [that] of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”
Dave:
Well go back to verse 33 I guess, for continuity. “Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: (That’s a tough one. We ended last week, I guess with that.) Man’s testimony is of no value. What does it matter, what some man says about Jesus Christ? He is God. And of course we can give a testimony. I mean we can tell how Christ changed our lives and so forth, but he goes on down farther, and he says, Verse 41, “I receive not honor from men.” Again that seems like a strange statement, because we want honor from men and we honor one another. We’ll get to that later. But Jesus says John was a burning and shining light. You were willing for awhile to rejoice in that light, but when he gives you the truth, then you don’t want to hear it. But then Jesus says, “But I have greater witness than that of John for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me.” So here we have a major reason for the miracles that Jesus did. On the one hand he is very sympathetic, loving, and kind. The widow’s son—she is weeping as they are carrying the coffin and out of compassion Jesus raises him from the dead. On the other hand, he doesn’t raise everybody from the dead. He healed a lot of people. People say well why don’t we see that today? Why doesn’t he empty the hospitals and so forth? Well, a number of reason, but the major reason is that these works were done by Christ to prove that he is God; to prove that he was sent by the Father, and to prove that he is the Messiah. Now he didn’t always have a good experience with those that he healed. They turned him in sometimes. The man that was by the pool of Siloam, you remember? He turns him into the Pharisees and because of that the Pharisees seek to kill Jesus. I believe there were probably numbers of people in that mob that cried out to crucify Christ, who had been healed by him, who had been fed by him, and they were willing to have that happen. It’s much like people today, they would like to be healed, they would like to prosper, or have God prosper them, but when it comes to obeying his Word and living the lives he wants them to live and really trusting in him for their salvation, they don’t want that. So in verse 36 we have a definitive statement from Christ that the miracles that he did prove who he is. On the other hand, that time is passed; he is not healing everybody today. If he healed everybody today, we would never die. Then he would be perpetuating us in these bodies of sickness and suffering. We’d get sick again [and] people would die again. Lazarus whom he raised from the dead having been dead four days in the grave, Lazarus died again. So if God didn’t let us die, it would perpetuate this world of evil. It would perpetuate these imperfect bodies of sin and of suffering. That was why he brought death upon Adam and Eve, not only cast them out of the Garden, but he brought death upon them. Because they were no longer what he wanted them to be. We talked about that in a previous segment. They had come short of his glory. The image of God in which they had been created had been defiled and warped and destroyed really. So God is not perpetuating us in that way. Now that’s an error of some people who say well healing is in the atonement and if you really trust God, if you really had the faith, you would always be healed of everything. There is no one who demonstrated that. And all of these people that have taught that are either dead or they are dying. Why? Because God doesn’t have the power to heal today? No, because this is not his will to heal everyone of every disease, every time. Because then he would be perpetuating a world of sin.
Tom:
But Dave, you are not saying therefore, then we don’t pray for healing, we don’t cry out to God—
Dave:
No, I’m not saying that. I am saying it is not his will to heal everyone of every disease, every time. But I have been instantly healed myself. I’ve seen other people instantly healed. God does heal, but on the other hand, that is not his final solution. Healing the physical body is not his final solution. One day he is going to give us a new body. I love that old hymn that says, “These earthen vessels break, the world itself grows old, but Christ the Lord, our dust will take, and freshly mold. He’ll give these bodies vile, a fashion like his own; he’ll make the whole creation smile, and hush its groan.” One day there will be a new universe, in which sin will never enter. One day we will have new bodies, either resurrected and transformed, or those who are alive at the Rapture, they will be transformed. That is those who believe in Jesus Christ. So Tom, I probably spent too long on that, but we’re being told by Christ, that the primary reason for the miracles that he did during his life on this earth, was to prove who he was and that the Father had sent him. Now—
Tom:
And the purpose here, go back to where we began, verse 34, “But these things I say that ye might be saved.”
Dave:
Amen, amen.
Tom:
Salvation is the heart of all of this.
Dave:
Amen and John ends his gospel by saying he has recorded these things so that we might believe and believing in Christ, we might have life through his name. So again, thanks for reminding us Tom. That’s what this is all about. Christ Jesus is the Savior and he is proving that he is the Savior by what he does. But that’s not going to save us. If Christ just stayed here and healed everybody, that wouldn’t save us. The penalty for sin had to be paid and the wages of sin is death. Not just physical death, but eternal separation from God forever. So he had to go to the Cross and it’s, well we’re seeing a demonstration here in John’s gospel and even in these verses, because they’re not going to accept his testimony. The rabbis are not happy with what Jesus is saying. They don’t want to believe that God is his Father. This is a new concept in fact, although we have it in the Old Testament. Proverbs 30 talks about the Creator, what’s his name? The Creator of the universe. What’s his Son’s name? So obviously for him to have a son, he must be a Father, although you don’t find concept through the Old Testament, but Christ is revealing the fatherhood of God and he says in verse 37, “And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.” How would they have heard the Father? Well, through the words of the prophets, through the scriptures. Jesus said; well in fact, let’s go on to the next verse, verse 39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” So he’s saying, God’s Word that you have, you received of Moses and so forth, you honor it, but this testifies of me, but you won’t come to me.
Tom:
Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. And that’s what we continually do on this program to encourage people to search those scriptures, and they, from Genesis through Revelation, they testify of Jesus Christ and his salvation. That’s what it is all about.
Dave:
Amen, search the scriptures daily.
Gary :
Dave and Tom will take up their discussion on the topic of salvation next week. We hope you can join us. Books, tapes, CD-ROM, our internet website, and others items are just some of the materials we make available for you serious students of God’s Word. Now here’s information about our latest offering:
In ancient ages the great Hebrew prophets predicted that before the coming of their promised Messiah, there would be specific fulfillment of their prophecies to signal the end of the age. But not until the Jews returned to the land in 1948 did those signs become evident. Today, after some fifty years back in the land the realized predictions are crystal clear even to the casual observer. From the mountains flowing with sweet wine to the wars of the Jews, to the rebuilding of the third Jewish temple, to the sealed Eastern gate and much more. You will experience and see it all as 25 Messianic Signs present an unfolding drama of the prophetic signs pointing to the pivotal event of our time: The Return of the Messiah.
Video producer, Ken Cline:
Gary , the fact that Israel is in the land today is one of the principle reasons why we should be looking for the coming of the Messiah. When you get this film it will encourage your faith and it is a resource to help you reach loved ones for Christ.
See the land, see the people, see the places, 25 Messianic Signs , a new video from The Berean Call. $20 includes shipping and handling. Information on how to order in just a moment. If you would like a copy of this broadcast ask for Program #0841, and please, mention the call letters of this station. Next week, Dave and Tom will continue their series of programs based on Dave’s book In Defense of the Faith , and “Is Jesus half man and half God?” and “More prize winning progress in religion,” we’ll look at that story, and examine the question “Why were they casting lots in the Book of Joel?” We hope you can tune in. If you have questions or comments about this program we urge you to contact our offices. Search the Scriptures Daily Radio Ministry is made possible by God’s grace, your prayers, and your financial support. I’m Gary Carmichael and for Dave, Tom, and everyone here at The Berean Call, I would like to thank you for tuning in and invite you to join us again next week. In the meantime, if you desire to know God’s truth, Search the Scriptures Daily.
You’ve been listening to Search the Scriptures Daily, a radio ministry of The Berean Call. For more information about The Berean Call and a free subscription to our monthly newsletter contact us at PO Box 7019 , Bend , Oregon 97708 , call us at 800-937-6638, or visit our website at www.thebereancall.org . Join us again next week for Search the Scriptures Daily featuring Dave Hunt and T. A. McMahon.
